Thomas Partey Denies Latest Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has entered not guilty pleas to two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old appeared in court on Monday to deny the allegations, which relate to an incident in London in December 2020. Partey had previously been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, dating back to 2021 and 2022, and had pleaded not guilty to those charges. The new allegations bring the total number of rape charges against him to seven, with one count of sexual assault, spanning allegations from four different women. A trial was initially set for November this year, but it may now be delayed until January next year due to the additional charges. Partey, who currently plays for Villarreal, spoke only to confirm his name and enter his pleas during the hearing. He was granted bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. The case is set to be heard again in May for a pre-trial hearing, with a decision on the trial date to be made once the judge has been confirmed. Partey is expected to play for Ghana in the World Cup this summer.